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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28159092">Movie Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASimpleCherryTree/pseuds/ASimpleCherryTree'>ASimpleCherryTree</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Catching Up the Boys, Julie POV, M/M, Movie Night, Peterpatter, Rom-Coms, happy tears</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:07:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,095</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28159092</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASimpleCherryTree/pseuds/ASimpleCherryTree</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Julie watches the most important movies from the last 25 years with the boys of Sunset Curve</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Luke Patterson/Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), slight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Toy Story</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I’m definitely late to the party but I just finished JATP and I had this idea while doing the dishes this morning so</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you telling me you haven’t seen Toy Story?” I asked.</p><p>“We were going to see it the week after we died,” Alex said. “We had tickets, too. Maybe Toy Story is our unfinished business.”</p><p>“That was definitely my life’s goal,” Luke said. “I was about to change everything by playing the Orpheum, but watching a Pixar movie was my true aspiration.”</p><p>“Hold on, I’m calling Flynn. We’re having a movie night tonight.” I pulled out my phone. I don’t usually call, but this seems urgent. Especially since Toy Story is Flynn’s favorite movie of all time. I walked into the kitchen to get some privacy.</p><p> </p><p>I was sitting on the couch with Carlos when Flynn walked in. She stopped knocking a few weeks ago, which was long overdue. I’ve been telling her to stop knocking for years. My dad told her to stop knocking once when she came over at 11:30 at night.</p><p>“Flynn!” I yelled, hopefully loud enough to get to the studio. “You’re here for Toy Story!”</p><p>“Are they here?” she asked.</p><p>“They’ll show up in a minute.”</p><p>Carlos turned around on the couch. “Who?” I looked at Flynn with wide eyes. She didn’t even flinch.</p><p>“I ordered some packages to be delivered here. My dad doesn’t want me online shopping anymore.”</p><p>“I’m leaving,” Carlos said. “I don’t want to watch baby movies.” Flynn glared at his back while he walked up the stairs. Alex and Luke popped onto the couch.</p><p>“Where’s Reggie?” I asked.</p><p>“Upstairs,” Alex said. “He’s in the middle of a conversation with your dad.” Reggie popped onto the coffee table. His favorite seat in the house.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s rude to leave in the middle of a conversation.”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t think my dad cares,” I said. “Let’s start the movie.” I sat next to Flynn on the recliner. My dad thinks it’s weird that we share a chair when the couch is empty. I think he thinks we’re dating. He’s awkward about it.</p><p>I press play and hear the piracy warnings. I have these warnings memorized.</p><p>“I don’t like watching movies without popcorn,” Reggie said. He crossed his legs up on the coffee table. “It just doesn’t feel right.</p><p>“You could watch Flynn and I eat popcorn.”</p><p>“Not the same.”</p><p>“That was the best thing about Caleb’s club,” Luke said. “The food was crappy, but it was food.”</p><p>“It was good,” Alex said. “But Luke has a primitive palate. I’ll remind you that we were killed by street dogs.”</p><p>“The movie’s starting.”</p><p> </p><p>The credits rolled and Flynn was asleep on my shoulder. She falls asleep watching any movie, not personal to Toy Story. She fell asleep twenty minutes in, meaning that she couldn’t be annoyed by movie conversation.</p><p>“Was that unfinished business worthy?” I asked.</p><p>“Their friendship is so cute,” Reggie said. He turned around with tears in his eyes.</p><p>“I am afraid of the potential repercussions of this movie,” Luke said.</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“The soundtrack is awfully country.”</p><p>“And it was beautiful.” Alex rolled his eyes and put his feet on the coffee table next to Reggie. “But it’s not exactly what I’m thinking for our country album.”</p><p>“We’re not playing Home is Where My Horse Is, Reg,” Luke said.</p><p>“I kind of want to hear it though,” I said. “Is this encouraging him?”</p><p>“Actually,” Alex said. “I want to hear it, too.” Reggie jumped off the coffee table and grabbed an acoustic guitar.</p><p>Flynn woke up to the opening notes. “Do I hear country music?” she asked. “Julie, please tell me that your dad didn’t find his Rascal Flatts CD.”</p><p>“This is Reggie playing his country original.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m going to throw up.”</p><p>“Please don’t,” Luke said. “He’s sensitive.”</p><p>“She can’t hear you, numbskull,” Alex said. Like nodded and grabbed a notepad off of the floor.</p><p>“Julie, pen?”</p><p>“In my room.”</p><p>“Too much work.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Love Simon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“There’s a second Toy Story?” Reggie asked. He was sitting on the coffee table scrolling through my phone. I had to get him a stylus because apparently, phones can’t pick up ghost fingers.</p><p>“There’s three more, but the last isn’t great. It came out a few months ago and was honestly disappointing.”</p><p>“We need to watch two and three, though. Even if four is bad I need to know what happens next.”</p><p>“I have a different idea for movie night tonight, though.” I walked over to the DVD shelf and pulled one from the top. “Love Simon, 2018.”</p><p>“What’s that about?”</p><p>“You’re gonna have to wait until tonight. I already told Luke and Alex to be here at eight, but Flynn can’t make it. It’s a shame because she loves this movie.”</p><p>“Can I get any details?”</p><p>“Whitney Houston, I Will Always Love You.”</p><p>“That’s a lot of information, thank you.” I smiled at Reggie and walked over to see what he was doing. I let all of them make their own Instagram accounts so that my feed didn’t fill with their stuff but Reggie is the only one who uses it. He actually made a few posts. None of them have any likes because he uses no hashtags, but they’re there for him. “Should I know what Love Simon is as an avid social media user?”</p><p>“If you used social media correctly you would probably know, but that’s okay. You’re technically Gen X.”</p><p>“Or will I forever be whatever generation seventeen-year-olds are?”</p><p>“I’m gonna say that you’re an honorary Gen Z because you are seventeen now, but even when your body is seventeen in the future you’ll have a fifty-year-old mind.”</p><p>“Seems like a stretch.”</p><p>“So you’re Gen X.”</p><p>“No, I’ve been on social media enough to know that I am not a Karen. I’ll be Gen Z, I guess.”</p><p>“Don’t say that like it’s a bad thing. Zendaya is Gen Z.”</p><p>“I’ve heard of her but I don’t know why.”</p><p>“She’s an amazing actress. When we start watching shows together we can watch Euphoria. Or Shake it Up.”</p><p>“I don’t know what those are.”</p><p>“Well, you’ll find out eventually.”</p><p> </p><p>I ran down the stairs at 8:02. I fell asleep after dinner and never set an alarm. “Where are you going?” Carlos asked.</p><p>“I’m watching Love Simon.”</p><p>“Why are you in such a rush?”</p><p>“It’s a health-conscious decision? I like running down the stairs?”</p><p>“I’ve never seen you run down the stairs before.”</p><p>“Can I go watch my movie, Carlos?” I don’t even wait for an answer before walking over to the recliner. Once Carlos is upstairs I turn to the boys. “I fell asleep.”</p><p>“I know,” Reggie said. “Ray was telling Carlos that he enjoyed your commitment to self-care.”</p><p>“You are such a stalker.”</p><p>“It’s kind of his thing,” Alex said. “Not being a stalker, being obsessed with your dad. Him being a stalker would be a much bigger issue.”</p><p>“Guys, I’m really excited to show you this movie. I think you’ll love it.” I put the remote in my lap after pressing play. “Also, Reg, I think you might want to sit on the couch.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because I don’t want you interrupting the movie when you move.”</p><p>“Why would I move in the middle of a movie?”</p><p>“You’ll find out.” Reggie looks me in the eye to get the answer. He either finds the answer and doesn’t say anything or he doesn’t find the answer because that’s ridiculous and my eyes are great at keeping secrets. He sits down on the couch next to Luke anyway.</p><p>“I’m just like you,” the movie starts and I settle into the chair.</p><p> </p><p>I was right about the couch. Not ten minutes into the movie was Reggie nestled in Luke’s lap. Although, even if Reggie had stayed on the coffee table, Luke would have made him cuddle during the “You can exhale now,” scene. Maybe I should have thought out a movie where the mom’s name is Emily.</p><p>I turned to watch them instead of the carnival scene. I want to see their reactions. All of them were already covered in tears, but they still don’t know. Emily’s scene messed with them.</p><p>“If this movie had come out in 1995,” Alex said. “Just imagine. Everything is so different now.”</p><p>“Shush, Alex,” I said. “You’re going to miss it.” Luke and Reggie were staring at the screens. I think they’re more invested than Leah, Nick, and Abby.</p><p>“Can I sit here?” Blue* asked. Reggie squeaked. We all turned to look at him.</p><p>“It was an involuntary noise. This is adorable.” I had to turn back to the screen. I have to watch this. I’ve seen it more times than I can count, but I just have to.</p><p> </p><p>The credits rolled and I turned back to the couch. More tears than before. But happy tears from Luke this time, so that’s a positive.</p><p>“Did you like the movie?”</p><p>“Julie, that is exactly the movie that we needed,” Alex said. “This would have been life-changing before we died.”</p><p>“Actually, this was a life-changing movie two years ago. It was the first big-budget LGBT rom-com. This movie literally changed people’s lives.”</p><p>“If only we started our afterlife two years ago,” Reggie said. “We could have seen this in theaters.”</p><p>“That’s genius,” I said. “We can see movies and we don’t have to pay for your tickets.”</p><p>“Julie,” Luke said. “Thank you. This movie was beautiful.”</p><p>“I’m glad you all liked it. I can’t tell if it’s the gay or the rom-com, but I believe we have to watch more rom-coms now.”</p><p>“More gay rom-coms?” Reggie asked.</p><p>“If only. Most gay movies are graphically sexual or are almost homophobic. I think there are a few good ones on Netflix that we can watch, but it won’t be the same.”</p><p>“We’ll just have to watch straight rom-coms,” Luke said.</p><p>“I already have next week's movies picked out.”</p><p>“Movies?”</p><p>“Oh, you’ll see.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So I don’t really want to spoil Love Simon but y’all need to see it if you haven’t. That’s why I used Blue instead of the name that you know this character by.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. High School Musical</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Tonight we’re watching three movies, so you guys should be here at five. I can’t walk around LA to find you, and Flynn wants to start at five. No later. This might be more important than my school dance.”</p><p>“So what exactly are we watching?” Alex asked.</p><p>“We’re watching the High School Musical movies.”</p><p>“I’ve definitely heard of those,” Reggie said. “Zac Efron, right?”</p><p>“Yeah! You’re getting better at Instagram.”</p><p>“My last post got five likes.”</p><p>“Really?” I pulled out my phone. He added some hashtags. A few of them were probably hashtags that he originated, but he had some that got him likes. “I’m proud of you.”</p><p>“What did he post?” Alex asked. Alex uses his Instagram less than Luke. I think he’s been on it twice to look at Trevor’s account. Somehow he is the best at social media.</p><p>“Song lyrics on a yellow background.”</p><p>“Please tell me,” Luke started. “Please tell me they’re not original lyrics.”</p><p>“Home<br/>
What is it really?<br/>
Sometimes it’s someone and not a place<br/>
It’s that feelin’ of being safe<br/>
It’s about who you’re with<br/>
At the end of the day,” I read.</p><p>“Out of context it sounds like it’s about you,” Alex said to Luke.</p><p>“Well, I have context.” Luke crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s about the horse he doesn’t even have.”</p><p>“You’re my horse,” Reggie said. “I just love the country style.”</p><p>“Why am I a horse? There are plenty of country love songs?”</p><p>“They’re all gross, though. Also, I wrote this before I told you that I like you and it had to be a secret.”</p><p>“That’s actually really cute,” I said. “You’re the horse.”</p><p>“I’m the horse.” His arms were still crossed but he was holding back a smile.</p><p>“Okay, High School Musical, 5:00.”</p><p>“We’ll be there,” Alex said. “I’m intrigued by this musical high school.”</p><p> </p><p>Flynn came over at four for some Chemistry help so she was already here and in the kitchen when the boys popped onto the couch at 4:45.</p><p>“Jules, we found a new ice cream shop and we need to know if it’s any good,” Reggie said.</p><p>“We can check it out tomorrow.”</p><p>“No, Luke stole some ice cream.” I looked over at Luke who was holding a pint of ice cream in front of a grin. I walked over and grabbed it from him.</p><p>“It’s cookie dough,” Luke said. “Your favorite.”</p><p>“Also Flynn’s favorite.” I walked into the kitchen to grab two spoons. “Flynn, the boys are here and they brought ice cream.”</p><p>“Yeah, I assumed you weren’t talking to yourself in the living room. Is it cookie dough?”</p><p>“Obviously. Let’s go watch the movies.”</p><p>I walked over to the recliner with Flynn. My dad walked down the stairs and saw us sharing ice cream on the recliner and walked over.</p><p>“Watching High School Musical?” he asked.</p><p>“Yeah, we were gonna start it now,” I said, trying to get him to leave.</p><p>“I just love that Ryan kid,” he said. I think he’s trying to be supportive but Ryan is not the best character. He definitely wasn’t my dad's favorite the one time we watched it together.</p><p>“He’s pretty great.”</p><p>“Julie, you know you can tell me anything, right?” I smiled and quickly glanced at the boys.</p><p>“He’s so supportive,” Reggie said. “Why can’t we all have a dad like him.”</p><p>“I already tell you everything, Dad,” I said. Luke started laughing at me.</p><p>“I know that I’m not your mom, but I can talk about girl stuff with you.”</p><p>“Girl stuff?” He sat down on the couch and Reggie slid over to Luke’s lap to avoid being sat in.</p><p>“Stuff that you would talk about with your mom. Or movies you’d watch with her. She liked High School Musical, right?”</p><p>“She loved it.” I looked at Flynn. “I guess my dad is watching with us. We’re watching all three, though, and I know you don’t like staying up that late.”</p><p>“I’ll leave after two. I just want you to know that I’m here for you, Julie.” I pressed play and glared at Luke.</p><p> </p><p>My dad went to the bathroom after the movie ended. I shook Flynn awake so he wouldn’t think I was talking to myself when he got back.</p><p>“He thinks you’re dating,” Luke said.</p><p>“He has for months,” I said. “Even before you showed up. Right, Flynn?”</p><p>“I have no clue what you’re talking about, Julie,” Flynn said, rubbing her eyes. “I can’t hear the ghosts.”</p><p>“My dad’s thought we’re dating for months?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah. He walked in on us waltzing and doesn’t believe us when we tell him that we’re just friends.”</p><p>“Why were you waltzing?” Alex asked, holding back a laugh.</p><p>“We like waltzing,” I said. I have no reason to get defensive, but I feel the need.</p><p>“I’d assume, too,” Luke said. “Actually, I got a vibe right when I met Flynn.”</p><p>“We’re not dating,” I said.</p><p>“Who’s not dating?” My dad walked out of the bathroom.</p><p>“Oh, uh, Flynn was asking why Nick was over the other day. He keeps coming over for school stuff.”</p><p>“Okay, are we ready to get Fabulous?” my dad asked, laughing at his own joke. Reggie raised one eyebrow.</p><p>“You can Bet On It.” I pressed play.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I made a list.” I set a piece of paper next to Reggie on the coffee table. "You guys can pick tonight's movie, but these are all pretty good."</p><p>"We watched Clueless," Alex said immediately. "It came out four months before we died."</p><p>"I would gladly watch it again, though," Reggie said. "A beautiful movie."</p><p>"But the point of this is to watch movies you haven't seen. So no Clueless," I grabbed a pen and crossed Clueless off of the list.</p><p>"We could watch Toy Story two and three," Reggie said. "The first one was so good."</p><p>"We just watched the first one, though," Luke said. "I want to watch something new."</p><p>"Can we pick a movie?" I asked. "Flynn's getting antsy."</p><p>Alex closed his eyes and pointed at the paper. "To All the Boys I've Loved Before," he read.</p><p>"That's a rom-com," I said. "I'll tell Flynn."</p><p> </p><p>At 9:00 we were all in the living room with Netflix open. My dad was out of town with Carlos for traveling baseball, so we had the house to ourselves. "Did you tell them anything about the movie?" Flynn asked.</p><p>"All I told them was that it's a rom-com. I think they're excited."</p><p>"I wish you would give us more information about the movies we're watching," Luke said. "Choosing based off of a list of names means nothing."</p><p>"I don't want to spoil the movies." I pressed play on the movie and put my head in Alex's lap. My dad won't get weirded out by my head floating on nothing if he's not here.</p><p> </p><p>"Josh was kind of selfish," Reggie said when the credits started rolling. "I feel like the writers tried to make us feel bad for him but he just ended up being a whiny brat."</p><p>"Yeah," I said. "My main problem is the whole Margot thing. I could never date my ex's sister."</p><p>"That would be messed up," Luke said. "Holidays would be a mess."</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"Speaking of holidays," Reggie said. "Are we doing anything for Christmas?"</p><p>"I have some Christmas movies on the list, but what were you thinking?"</p><p>“I think we should write Christmas songs.”</p><p>“That sounds like fun,” I said. “I’m assuming you’ve already written something?”</p><p>“Three songs. But you and Luke are the resident songwriters, so you can take the reins.”</p><p>“Not to be rude to the three people who can’t eat, but Flynn and I are going to start on Christmas cookies.”</p><p>“It’s almost 11:00,” Alex said.</p><p>“It’s a weekend and my dad’s not home,” I said. “We’re not going to bed until the sun comes up and we wake up at noon.”</p><p>“That sounds ridiculous,” Reggie said. “I’m in. What kind of cookies are we making?”</p><p> </p><p>We pulled out a tray of snickerdoodles at exactly midnight. “I wish I could eat those,” Reggie said. “I poured my heart into them.”</p><p>“If I could figure out a way that you guys can eat without Caleb I would make you all of the snickerdoodles in the world.”</p><p>“I’ll hold you to that,” Luke said. “If I find out how to eat I’m coming to you first.”</p><p>“Don’t attack me,” Reggie said. “But I actually miss hot dogs.”</p><p>“You’re kidding,” Alex said.</p><p>“No. They’re the ideal food, who cares if they mess up once in a while? We all do.”</p><p>“I, personally, have never killed someone,” I said. “I don’t know what you did before you died.”</p><p>“Reggie went on a killing spree in 1992,” Luke said. “Didn’t you hear?”</p><p>“And we love him all the same,” Alex said. “But hot dogs are not to be forgiven.”</p><p>“I think we can give them some leeway,” Reggie said. “We did eat hot dogs that were served under the hood of a car.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I do actually have a list of about 30 titles, but if y’all have recommendations that I’ve seen I’ll gladly add them to the list!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Elf</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was going to write this this morning but I woke up at three in the morning super nauseated and then I had a panic attack because of my emetophobia so here’s a Christmas chapter the morning after Christmas 💖</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Christmas movie time!” I put the disc in the DVD player. “I’m so excited. This is one of the best Christmas movies ever.”</p><p>“I love Christmas,” Reggie said. “I’m absolutely obsessed with Christmas music but some people think I shouldn’t listen to it year-round.” He turned to glare at Luke and Alex.</p><p>“They’re right, though. November 1, Reginald.”</p><p>“Why November 1?”</p><p>“First day of Christmas. Once Halloween ends you can go all out Mariah Carey.”</p><p>“All I Want For Christmas Is You?” Luke asked.</p><p>“Wow, that song is old.”</p><p>“Rude.” I smiled and turned back to the TV.</p><p>“Get ready you guys. Also, just to preface this, Zooey Deschanel is gorgeous.”</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“You’ll see. She’s an actress in this movie, shows up maybe twenty minutes in? I’ll point her out.” I pressed play.</p><p> </p><p>Buddy walked into “The North Pole” and I sat up and poked at the boys. “She’s coming.”</p><p>Jovie peeked her head out from the tree. Reggie started laughing when I audibly gasped. She might be 24 years older than me but I would risk everything for Zooey Deschanel.</p><p>“Disaster bisexual,” Reggie said. His phrase of the week from Instagram is ‘useless gay’ and throwing our labels in. He’s not using it incorrectly though, so there are brownie points there.</p><p>“You’re one to talk, you haven’t left your boyfriend’s lap and this isn’t even a terribly romantic movie.”</p><p>“In my defense, he has the world’s coziest lap.”</p><p>“You can literally sit in three laps.”</p><p>“And you and Alex never let me sit in your laps.”</p><p>“Well Alex’s lap belongs to me and I’m five foot four, no one sits in my lap.”</p><p>“Does anyone even want to watch the movie?” Alex asked. “Just me?”</p><p>“Okay, I’ll rewind. More Zooey Deschanel for me.” I grabbed the remote and rewound to Jovie’s first appearance.</p><p> </p><p>The movie ended and Reggie was in tears. “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”</p><p>“Did you like the movie?” I asked with a laugh.</p><p>“Oh my God, it was beautiful. I wish we had more of Suzie, though. Is she going to be elfish traits like Buddy or is she going to be more human like Jovie, Walter, Michael, and Emily?”</p><p>“Also, Julie,” Alex said. “Why do we keep watching movies with maternal Emily’s?”</p><p>“I guess it’s a popular name for cinematic mothers?”</p><p>“Unfortunate,” Luke said. “Can we check your list for maternal Emily’s? This is getting upsetting.”</p><p>“I’ll go over it tonight.” I stood up. “Merry Christmas Eve, you guys.”</p><p> </p><p>I ran down the stairs at 5:30 in the morning. Carlos keeps our Christmases early, which I’m thankful for. I’m pretty sure he stopped believing in Santa years ago but pretends so that Christmas is the same. My dad is none the wiser.</p><p>I tore through my presents (Carlos found an old picture of Sunset Curve for me, so I am sure he’s found out, but that’s an after Christmas conversation) and told my dad that I was going to spend some time in the studio. He nodded. Christmas was Mom’s holiday, of course, I’d want to spend time there.</p><p>I kissed Carlos on the head and ran out to the studio. “Merry Christmas!” The boys yelled the second I opened the door.</p><p>The tall houseplant we had chosen to be our “Christmas tree” had a bunch of poorly wrapped boxes underneath. “Merry Christmas, you guys! Your presents are in my room because I didn’t want my dad to see me bringing a bunch of gifts out here.” Reggie nodded and poofed away. I made a face at Alex and Luke who realized that was exactly what I wanted them to do before poofing away themselves.</p><p>They showed up on the couch with the presents that I wrapped for them. “Who’s going first?” Alex asked.</p><p>“I’ve always done reverse age order,” Reggie said. “So I’d say Julie.”</p><p>“We’ll do this in rounds,” I said. “Reverse age order, but we’ll open age order presents. So we all start with Alex’s present then Alex opens Luke’s and starts the next cycle.”</p><p>“That’s needlessly complicated, but okay,” Luke said. “Alex’s are the presents with golden wrapping paper.”</p><p>I looked under the tree for the golden box that said ‘Julie’ in sparkly calligraphy. Clearly Alex’s. I grabbed it and ripped it open, making sure not to rip the beautiful writing.</p><p>Luke and Reggie didn’t know what it was, either, so they were just as surprised when I pulled out a painting of myself. “I didn’t know you paint,” I said.</p><p>“I don’t paint that often, but I found some acrylics in the loft a while back and got back into it.”</p><p>“Alex, this is beautiful.” I set down the painting and threw myself onto the couch to hug him.</p><p>Reggie grabbed his golden present and unwrapped it very carefully. “He’s always like this,” Luke said. “He doesn’t like ripping the wrapping, he removes all of the tape and leaves himself a square of wrapping paper.”</p><p>“I don’t like the feeling of ripping wrapping paper,” Reggie said. “It feels weird under my hands.” He pulled off the last piece of tape and pulled out a country album cover that Alex designed. The featured song was Home Is Where My Horse Is, but Alex took the liberty of creating a few song titles.</p><p>Reggie’s eyes filled with tears. “This is the best gift I’ve ever gotten,” he said. “How did you find the time to make all of these things without us knowing?”</p><p>“Y’all spend way too much time cuddling when Julie’s at school.”</p><p>I threw Luke his present because he was sandwiched between Reggie and Alex. He didn’t even read the name before tearing off the wrapping in on rip. It was a framed ticket stub from our Orpheum performance with the lyrics to Stand Tall written across the frame. Luke hugged it to his chest before setting it down to hug Alex.</p><p>Alex leaned over and grabbed his present from Luke. Luke’s handwriting is rough, but he carefully printed our names on the wrapping. Alex smiled even before opening the package.</p><p>He opened it to reveal a pair of bedazzled drumsticks. There were plastic jewels everywhere but the tips.</p><p>“I don’t know if that’s going to mess up your grip at all,” Luke said frantically. “I just thought it would be a nice tribute to your Dirty Candy performance.”</p><p>“I can probably do some basics with these as long as it’s not too fast. I love it, Luke.”</p><p>I grabbed the light blue box from deep under the rest of the pile. There was another box taped to it that I hadn’t seen before.</p><p>“So, I got you something, but I wasn’t entirely sure if it counted as a real present, so I got you something else.”</p><p>“Which one should I open first?”</p><p>“It doesn’t really matter, but I’d say the small one.” I popped off the tiny box and unwrapped it. It was a little black box that opened at the hinges. When I opened it I saw a purple ring. It was my mom’s favorite ring, besides her wedding ring, of course. She lost it when I was little.</p><p>“Where did you find this?” I asked. I felt a tear run down my face but I didn’t really care.</p><p>“I accidentally dropped something under the oven a few weeks ago and when I went to grab it I grabbed this instead. I guess no one had checked for anything in the tiny space under the oven before ghost hands were a thing.” I wrapped Luke in a huge hug.</p><p>“This was my mom’s ring,” I said. “She got it when she was a teenager and went to the mall with some of her friends that she lost touch with, so it was a nice reminder of them for her.”</p><p>“So it’s a reminder ring,” Luke said. “A reminder for you of your mom.”</p><p>“And my best friends.”</p><p>“Okay, so are you going to open your bigger package?” I wiped the tears off my face and set the big box in my lap. I ripped off the paper but saved my name. I think I’m going to put these in a scrapbook.</p><p>It was a pink notebook. “Open it,” Luke said. “Otherwise it just seems like a basic present.” I laughed and flipped open the cover.</p><p>“We make each other better,” it said in handwriting that clearly wasn’t Luke’s. The handwriting underneath was. “A songwriting journal of your own for songs you want to keep private. Boundaries, you know?” I smiled up at Luke.</p><p>“This is fantastic.”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Home Alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A continuation of the last chapter and another movie</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I handed Reggie his blue box and he pulled off the one piece of tape that Luke gave him. “Needed it to go faster,” Luke said.</p><p>Reggie pulled out a notepad. He flipped open the cover. “‘All the reasons I love you,’” he read. He looked up from the notepad and threw himself at Luke. “I love you so much. Now you get to open my present.” I tossed a wrapped lump at Luke.</p><p>Luke ripped open the box but didn’t get very far. Reggie covered it in an improbable amount of tape. It took a lot of force for Luke to peel away the wrapping.</p><p>The present wasn’t in any sort of box, which explains the odd shape. It was a pink teddy bear with hearts on the ears. “Press the tummy,” Reggie said. Luke pressed it and it started playing All I Want For Christmas Is You. Luke’s eyes sparkled when he hugged Reggie.</p><p>“Is it my turn?” Alex asked. “This is getting sappy.” I handed him his black and white box.</p><p>It didn’t have nearly as much tape, so it was quicker to open. Alex pulled out a succulent and almost started crying. Luke and I turned to each other. I don’t know what’s so special about a succulent, but clearly, it stirs up strong emotions in Alex.</p><p>“Is this because of Christmas 1994?” Alex asked. Reggie nodded.</p><p>“You’re really going to leave us hanging?” Luke asked. </p><p>“Alex and I were both trying to get out of the house on Christmas, so we snuck out to Nevada. We originally planned on going to Colorado but we turned around when we saw a cactus that looked suspiciously like Luke because we realized that we didn’t want to spend Christmas without him and Bobby.”</p><p>“How does a cactus look like me?” Luke asked.</p><p>“I think it was the position,” Alex said. “It kind of looked like this.” He put his arms out in a T and started wiggling. “It just had a very Luke vibe.”</p><p>“Julie, your turn,” Alex said. I grabbed my box and peeled off my name to set in the pile. </p><p>It was a framed picture of us performing Edge of Great. The frame was decorated in butterflies like the ones I was wearing. “How did you get this picture?” I asked. “Did you get it printed somewhere?”</p><p>“Target after closing is wonderful,” he said. “I go all the time. I leave money in the registers for whatever I take but no one has noticed.” I laughed.</p><p>“Okay, Reg, I have a gift for you that was acquired legally.” He took the pink box he had set behind him and opened the lid. Wrapping presents is not my forte.</p><p>He pulled out a banjo. “You told me you shred on the banjo but you don’t have one, so we had no way of testing that theory.” Reggie hugged the banjo to his chest. “And I have the bridge and stuff in my room, I just ran out of room in the box for it.”</p><p>“This is awesome, Jules.”</p><p>“Luke, you’re up.” Luke grabbed the yellow box under his feet and took off the lid.</p><p>“A refrigerator ornament?”</p><p>“It opens and shuts,” I said. “So you don’t waste power.”</p><p>“Your power usage is very important to me,” Luke said with a smile. “Alex, it’s your turn.”</p><p>Alex grabbed his box and opened it. He pulled out the Whitney Houston t-shirt I got him. “There’s more,” I said. He pulled out the Whitney’s Greatest Hits CD from the bottom of the box.</p><p>“I didn’t know you knew I love Whitney,” he said.</p><p>“It’s kind of obvious,” I said. “Like the way you were vibing to I Wanna Dance With Somebody when we watched Love Simon.”</p><p>“Anyone would,” he said. “That song is amazing.”</p><p>“But you love Whitney, right?”</p><p>“Absolutely.”</p><p> </p><p>I sat down next to my dad on the couch. “What movie are we watching this year?” I asked. Carlos hates Christmas movies, but we make him watch one every year.</p><p>“Home Alone,” my dad said. “We can watch Home Alone 2: Lost In New York next year and we don’t have to worry about picking out a new movie.”</p><p>“Home Alone came out in 1990, right?”</p><p>“Yeah, why?”</p><p>“I was just hoping for something more recent.”</p><p>“1990 is fairly recent as far as Christmas movies go.” Reggie walked in from the kitchen.</p><p>“I haven’t seen it,” he said. “My family wasn’t big on Christmas. Remember the cactus story?”</p><p>I nodded. “I just wonder,” I said to my dad. “Haven’t we all seen a movie from before 1995? Even Luke Hemsworth was ten when this came out.”</p><p>“I don’t think Luke’s seen it,” Reggie said. “He didn’t watch movies at home, we watched everything together.”</p><p>“Carlos hasn’t seen it,” my dad said. “He wouldn’t watch a Christmas movie without us.”</p><p>“I guess we can watch it. I think I forgot a blanket in the studio, though.” I ran out to get Alex and Luke.</p><p>“That was subtle,” Reggie said when I stepped inside. “Bringing up Luke Hemsworth. What an obscure actor.”</p><p>“He’s very well known,” I said. “You’re just old. Luke, Alex, we’re watching Home Alone. You should join us.”</p><p>Alex hopped off the couch and they followed me to the living room.</p><p> </p><p>“How do you just forget your kid?” Luke asked when the movie ended. “Like, I understand the headcount thing, but would you not try to discuss the argument from the night before?”</p><p>I watched my dad leave the room before responding. “If I couldn’t keep track of that many kids I simply wouldn’t take that many.”</p><p>“I don’t understand why they’re going on an international vacation with the extended family,” Alex said. “That’s just extra expensive for no reason. No one is that close with their extended vacation.”</p><p>“I think the real villains of this movie are the neglectful parents,” Reggie said. “Why did they let Buzz keep a gun in his room?”</p><p>“They could definitely step up their parenting game,” I said.</p><p>“It makes my mom look like the world’s best mom, ” Alex said.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Reggie, you’re obsessed with animated movies, right?” Reggie nearly jumped off of the coffee table to show his agreement. “Luke, you like action films?”</p><p>“I’m partial to them.”</p><p>“And Alex will watch literally anything.”</p><p>“Actually, he’s very picky with his movie taste and just claims he likes everything we like because he doesn’t want to ruin movie night,” Reggie said.</p><p>“Seriously?” I looked over the list in my hands. “What type of movie does he like?”</p><p>“He’s drawn to found families,” Luke said. “I couldn’t tell you where that comes from.”</p><p>“That poor guy. I think I have the perfect movie for us, though.” I set down the list and dug through our DVDs.</p><p>“This one isn’t on Netflix?” Reggie asked.</p><p>“I think it might be,” I said. “Let me check.” I turned on the TV and opened Netflix. “It is on Netflix. Tell Alex to meet us here at eight.”</p><p>“Are you going to tell us what we’re watching?” Luke asked. “You typed in an ‘S’ and found whatever movie you were looking for.”</p><p>“You could have been paying more attention. I’ll text Flynn.”</p><p> </p><p>I sat down with my head on Flynn’s shoulder at 8:15. “Where have you been?” Reggie asked. “15 minutes late with no note, you could have died!”</p><p>“You would be the first people to know that I’m dead, I can assure you,” I said. “It’ll be my unfinished business just to tell y’all.”</p><p>“That would be some lame unfinished business,” Alex said.</p><p>“Julie’s avoiding the question,” Reggie said.</p><p>“You always say that. Sometimes conversations are about more than one thing.”</p><p>“She did it again,” Luke said.</p><p>“We were at dinner and my dad wanted dessert so we were late. I can’t exactly tell my dad that we need to be home by eight to watch movies with ghosts.”</p><p>“I always feel left out of movie night,” Flynn said. “Your side of the conversation isn’t interesting enough to stand alone.”</p><p>“Learn to talk to ghosts?” I suggested. Flynn rolled her eyes and grabbed the remote from my hands to press play.</p><p> </p><p>Alex was crying at the end of the movie. “He didn’t know he wanted a kid until he found one,” he said. “Now he gets his love back.”</p><p>"That was beautiful," Reggie said. "And it actually looked like a comic book."</p><p>"It's quite possibly the best animated movie I've seen," I said. "The storyline, the soundtrack, the representation, it's all amazing."</p><p>“You guys are really opposed to singing what you’re saying, aren’t you?” Flynn asked. “Jules, your dad is going to see you talking to the air right above the couch and get your vision checked.”</p><p>“I could probably use glasses,” I said. “Why don’t you sit in between Alex and Luke?”</p><p>“I don’t know where they are. I can’t see ghosts.”</p><p>“Just sit in the middle of the couch.” I waved Alex to the other couch cushions to make room for Flynn.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry for the short chapter I have finals coming up and I’m cramming</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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